Shoe insole and method for making same

ABSTRACT

A method for making an insole includes a step (1) for preparing a base, attaching at least two reinforcement layers on a top of the base and a top layer attached on the base and covering the at least two reinforcement layers, the respective peripheries of the reinforcement layers being attached to the base so as to form a combination unit, and a step (2) for pressing and cutting the combination unit to obtain insoles, the reinforcement layer being enclosed between the base and the top layer. The method is suitable for mass production of the insoles. The insole includes a reinforcement layer which is enclosed between the base layer and the top layer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe insole with a reinforcementlayer enclosed between a top layer and a base, and a method for makingthe insole with less number of procedures and suitable for massproduction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional insole is put in the shoe and directly contact wearer'sfeet so that most of the insoles are made by flexible material and theinsoles can be conveniently replaced and cleaned.

The conventional insoles are made by Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA),Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or Polyethylene (PE). Some insoles include asurface material attached on the body of insole. However, theconventional insoles tend to be deformed permanently if the material istoo soft or to be uncomfortable to the wearer if the material is toostiff.

Although some insoles include multiple layers which are laminated toeach other, this type of insoles requires a lot of laboring hours toglue the layers one by one, and this does not meet requirement of massproduction. Besides, the middle layer often protrudes from a peripheryof the insole and is easily damaged by foreign objects.

The present invention intends to provide a shoe insole which improvesthe shortcomings of the conventional insoles and the middle layer iscompletely enclosed between the top layer and the base of the insole.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides a method for making theshoe insole and the procedures are simple and suitable for massproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for making an insole andincludes a step (1) for preparing a base, attaching at least tworeinforcement layers on a top of the base and a top layer attached onthe base and covering the at least two reinforcement layers, therespective peripheries of the reinforcement layers being attached to thebase so as to form a combination unit, and a step (2) for pressing andcutting the combination unit to obtain insoles, the reinforcement layerbeing enclosed between the base and the top layer. The method issuitable for mass production of the insoles.

The top layer can be a piece of fabric or leather, or a piece of fabricor leather attached with a soft layer and the thickness of the softlayer can be varied according needs. The base can be made bythermoplastic material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), PolyvinylChloride (PVC), or Polyethylene (PE). The reinforcement layer can belatex sponge, rubber sponge or Polyurethane (PU). The top layer can be apiece of fabric or leather.

The insole made by the method includes a base layer, a reinforcementlayer attached on a top of the base layer, and a top layer attached onthe reinforcement layer and a periphery of the top layer being directlyattached to the base layer, the reinforcement layer being enclosedbetween the base layer and the top layer.

The periphery of the top layer is directly attached with the base layerso that the reinforcement layer which is enclosed between the base layerand the top layer. The reinforcement layer does not protrude or exposedfrom the insole so that it is well protected and not being damaged.

The top layer can be a piece of fabric or leather, or a piece of fabricor leather attached with a soft layer and the thickness of the softlayer can be varied according needs. The base layer can be made bythermoplastic material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), PolyvinylChloride (PVC), or Polyethylene (PE). The reinforcement layer can belatex sponge, rubber sponge or Polyurethane (PU). The top layer can be apiece of fabric or leather.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows steps of the method for making insoles of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the insole made by the method of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 shows a plane view of the insole made by the method of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along line A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view to show another embodiment of the insole ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a plane view of the embodiment of the insole in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The base or base layer of the embodiment in the invention can be made bythermoplastic material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), PolyvinylChloride (PVC), or Polyethylene (PE).

Referring to FIG. 1, the method for making an insole of the presentinvention comprises a step (1): preparing a base 10 and attaching atleast two reinforcement layers 20 on a top of the base 10, a top layer30 attached on the base 10 and covering the at least two reinforcementlayers 20, respective peripheries of the top layer 30 attached to thebase 10 so as to form a combination unit, and

a step (2): pressing and cutting the combination unit to obtain insoles100, the reinforcement layer 20 being enclosed between the base 10 andthe top layer 30.

The reinforcement layer 20 can be latex sponge, rubber sponge orPolyurethane (PU). The top layer 30 can be a piece of fabric or leather.

By the method, the insoles 100 can be made in mass production. Thenumber of reinforcement layer 20 and/or top layer 30 can be variedaccording needs.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show the insole 100 made by the method and includes a baselayer 11, a reinforcement layer 20 and a top layer 30. The reinforcementlayer 20 is attached on the base layer 11 and the top layer 30 isattached on the reinforcement layer 20. The periphery of the undersideof the top layer 30 is directly attached on the base layer 11 so as tocompletely enclose the reinforcement layer 20 between the base layer 11and the top layer 30. The reinforcement layer 20 does not protrude fromthe base layer 11 and the top layer 30 so that the reinforcement layer20 is well protected.

The method of the present invention is suitable for mass productionwithout much laboring and therefore is benefit by increasing themanufacturing efficiency and the competitiveness in the market. Thereinforcement layer 20 of the insole made by the method of the presentinvention does not protrude from the base layer 11 and the top layer 30so that the reinforcement layer 20 is well protected and does not wearout. The combination of the base layer 11 and the reinforcement layer 20provides proper flexibility and does not deform. The structure of theinsole is simple and strong.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show another embodiment of the insole wherein the top layer30 includes a piece of fabric or leather 301 attached to a soft layer302 which is attached to the reinforcement layer 20. The soft layer 302is attached on the reinforcement layer 20 and the periphery 31 of theunderside of the fabric or leather 301 is attached to the soft layer302, and the periphery 32 of the underside of the soft layer 302 isattached to the base layer 11. By this arrangement, the reinforcementlayer 20 is completely enclosed between the soft layer 302 of the toplayer 30 and the base layer 11. The reinforcement layer 20 is wellprotected and is not damaged. The soft layer 302 provide comfortablewearing feature to the insole 100.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. A method for making insoles, comprising: step (1): preparing a base,attaching at least two reinforcement layers on a top of the base and atop layer attached on the base and covering the at least tworeinforcement layers, respective peripheries of the top layer attachedto the base so as to form a combination unit, and step (2): pressing andcutting the combination unit to obtain insoles, the reinforcement layerbeing enclosed between the base and the top layer.
 2. The method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the top layer is a piece of fabric orleather.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top layerincludes a piece of fabric or leather attached to a soft layer which isattached to the reinforcement layer.
 4. An insole comprising a baselayer; a reinforcement layer attached on a top of the base layer, and atop layer attached on the reinforcement layer and a periphery of the toplayer being directly attached to the base layer, the reinforcement layerbeing enclosed between the base layer and the top layer.
 5. The insoleas claimed in claim 4, wherein the top layer is a piece of fabric orleather.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the top layerincludes a piece of fabric or leather attached to a soft layer which isattached to the reinforcement layer.